Charles Space

Former Mexia resident, Charles (Jimmy) Space, passed away on July 9, 2008 in Georgetown, Texas. Charles was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on June 29, 1919 the elder son in a family of four children. While he was still a baby, his parents moved to Belen, New Mexico, located in a rural New Mexico valley outside Albuquerque. Charles was nicknamed Jimmy by his mother, Grace, and continued to enjoy using the name of Jimmy throughout his life. The small town of Belen was primarily Spanish, and Jimmy quickly became bi-lingual. Because he also grew up during the Great Depression, responsibility fell on his shoulders at a young age. When he was 9 years old, he renovated an old bicycle and took on two newspaper routes before and after school. At age 16, due to his Dad's failing health, Jimmy was called on to run the family restaurant in El Paso, Tx. In what spare time he had, Jimmy enjoyed hunting and fishing in the mountains around his parents' home. He had numerous stories of close encounters around his most favored area, Ladrone Mountain. He graduated High School, and for awhile went to business school, but the Santa Fe Railway was where he set his sights. He went to work for them at a young age as their Time Keeper. World War II intervened. Jimmy joined the Army for four years. He was stationed at several Prisoner of War Camps and had a long tour of duty in the Pacific islands, where he came to love and respect the Philippine people. As General McArthur regained control of the islands for the Allied forces, Jimmy's responsibility was to go in and set up the postal facilities for the troops. Jimmy married the former Mary Ann Carter of Mexia, Tx., the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Carter and left the Army behind him after the war. In May 2008, they celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary. He returned to the Santa Fe Railway where he oversaw personnel and locomotive maintenance issues for the Mechanical Department. The Santa Fe transferred him from New Mexico to Texas to California over the years of his service. He retired in 1980, and moved to Mexia, Tx. where he took on the responsibility for the family farm and cattle business. Though he tried to collect coins as a hobby, he stayed too busy working or helping his family, thus leaving him little time to devote to hobbies. Even though he took on a new business after retirement, Jimmy's love for the Santa Fe Railway never diminished. They have three children: sons, Charles C. Space and wife, Jane; Robert E. Space and wife, Terri; daughter, Dianne Space Elwell and husband, Tony. They also have 5 grandchildren: Christopher, Carisa, Robert, Amy and Carter and one great grandchild, Conner, all of whom live in the Austin, Tx. area. He loved to visit about his experiences in the New Mexico mountains as a young boy, his tour of duty during the World War II, and the Santa Fe Railway. Funeral services will be this Saturday, July 12, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. in the Chapel of the Blair-Stubbs Funeral Home in Mexia. Rev. Tom Prentiss will officiate with interment to follow in the Mexia Cemetery.